Coraline Algae Dissapearing

[IE Reefer]

Hey everyone,

I have been reefing for over a year now and added the rock that I talking about now about 8-9 months in. I haven't been experiencing any problems with the water chemistry for a while now, but when the lights go out and I use a different source of light I can see that the coraline algae is starting to disappearing/dying off. Do you guys think that it has to do with the water chemistry? Or something else? To note, I do not have a tester for Alk, Mag, and Cal so that might be one of the problems.

 

[Spare time]

It is impossible to say if it is water quality if you are not testing the water.

Do you happen to have an urchin?

 

[IE Reefer]

It is impossible to say if it is water quality if you are not testing the water.

Do you happen to have an urchin?

No, I only have margarita snails, and hermit crabs were thinking about getting one, though. I do test the reg elements and it has been consistent for 4+ months, Nitrite: 0ppm, pH: 8.0 ppm, Phosphates: 0ppm, Salinity: 1.024ppm. In process of testing nitrates...

 

[Spare time]

No, I only have margarita snails, and hermit crabs were thinking about getting one, though. I do test the reg elements and it has been consistent for 4+ months, Nitrite: 0ppm, pH: 8.0 ppm, Phosphates: 0ppm, Salinity: 1.024ppm. In process of testing nitrates...

How often do you do water changes? What test kits? Do you keep any lps or sps coral? How many fish and what size tank? How often do you feed?

 

[IE Reefer]

How often do you do water changes? What test kits? Do you keep any lps or sps coral? How many fish and what size tank? How often do you feed?

Maybe once every two/three months (the chemistry is pretty stable and I don't want to mess it up, but now I see that I need to start doing them more frequently). I use API for Nitrite, pH, and Phos; for Nitrates I use Hannah. I have 7 LPS and 2 Leather, 7 fish in total, 29 DT, I feed half a cube of mysis every day (planning to diversify given food). Also, nitrate is 0.0ppm (for whatever reason) so I dosed 23.4mL of NeoNitro.

 

[Coug92]

Probably low nitatsz and phosphates. Try getting nitrates over 1 and phosphates over .02 and less than .09.

 

[IE Reefer]

Probably low nitatsz and phosphates. Try getting nitrates over 1 and phosphates over .02 and less than .09.

How would I get my phosphates up?

 

[Gtinnel]

Neophos, or just try feeding heavier to help raise both.
Since you have stony corals you really need to start checking Alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium. Those are the most important parameters for stony corals, and they are important for coraline algea too since it calcifies.
Basically you don't know if you have any water chemistry issues because you don't test the most important ones.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Low magnesium and calcium would be my guess.

 

[IE Reefer]

Neophos, or just try feeding heavier to help raise both.
Since you have stony corals you really need to start checking Alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium. Those are the most important parameters for stony corals, and they are important for coraline algea too since it calcifies.
Basically you don't know if you have any water chemistry issues because you don't test the most important ones.

Wow, I really need to get my stuff together. Thank you, I'm currently in the works of getting a Red Sea Foundation Pro test kit and Salfert Phosphate test kit (I keep mixing up phosphate with ammonia)

 

[Gtinnel]

Wow, I really need to get my stuff together. Thank you, I'm currently in the works of getting a Red Sea Foundation Pro test kit and Salfert Phosphate test kit (I keep mixing up phosphate with ammonia)

I use the red sea pro kit and it's pretty good. I can't say for phosphates as all I have ever used is Hanna.

 

[Reeferbadness]

Wow, I really need to get my stuff together. Thank you, I'm currently in the works of getting a Red Sea Foundation Pro test kit and Salfert Phosphate test kit (I keep mixing up phosphate with ammonia)

Get the Hanna Alk tester - it's digital, fast, easy and accurate. I use this 3 or 4 times a week. Hanna also makes a pretty good Phos tester. Their calcium is a bit wonky but i've managed to get mine to be somewhat accurate. No need to try and match colors, etc - that's not a very good way to be precise.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Get the Hanna Alk tester - it's digital, fast, easy and accurate. I use this 3 or 4 times a week. Hanna also makes a pretty good Phos tester. Their calcium is a bit wonky but i've managed to get mine to be somewhat accurate. No need to try and match colors, etc - that's not a very good way to be precise.

Agreed. One of my favorite test kits because I never mind the time it takes to perform the test.